Transcript

of

Sir William Peryam, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
In: Devonshire gleanings from Manningham’s Diary.

Transactions of the Devonshire Association, 1875, Vol VII, pp. 384-385.

by

W. Pengelly

Prepared by Michael Steer

The author has provided a biographical excerpt, that he calls a ‘Gleaning’ from the "Diary of John Manningham, of the Middle Temple, and of Bradbourne, Kent, Barrister-at-Law, 1602-1603, His paper was presented at the Association’s 1875 Torrington meeting. Sir William Peryam (1534 – 9 October 1604) of Little Fulford, near Crediton in Devon, was an English judge who, in 1593, rose to the position of Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I. Peryam was born in Exeter, the eldest son of John Peryam, twice mayor of Exeter, and his wife Elizabeth, a daughter and co-heir of Robert Hone of Ottery. The year of Peryam's birth is known to history but, as was common in the 16th century, the day and month went unrecorded. Through his mother's sister, Joan Bodley née Hone, Peryam was cousin to Sir Thomas Bodley. Like the Bodleys, the Peryams were early adherents of Protestantism and were also threatened in the time of Marian persecution. Under Queen Elizabeth, however, the family thrived, with William eventually achieving eminence in law and his younger brother John Peryam (1541 – c. 1618), MP, elected to Parliament four times (Barnstaple 1584, Bossiney 1586, Exeter 1589 and 1593) and becoming Mayor of Exeter. The lawyer and politician William Hakewill and the clergyman and author George Hakewill were his nephews. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several sources. [Everything within brackets is editorial, All else is from the Diary.]

I. [Sir Thomas Bodley. Born at Exeter, 2nd March, 1544, died in London, 28th January, 1612.

[Sir William Peryam, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Born at Exeter 1534, died at Fulford 9th October, 1604, in his 70th year. He was buried at Crediton. Sir William Peryam's name occurs in two entries]: —

"My chamberfellow told me of Mr. Long's opposition against him, and howe he had ouermatcht him; told me of his owne preferment to Sir Robert Cecile by the Lord Cheif Baron Periams and Lord Chief Justice Pophams meanes, almost without his own suite. By Sir Roberts fauor he obtayned the cancelling of an obligation wherein his father stoode bound to Auditor Tucke not to vse that office or receive the profits for a certain tyme." p. 41.

"In the Chequer, Mr. Crooke, the Recorder of London, standing at the barre betweene the twoe Maiors, the succeeding on his right hand, and the resigning on his left, made a speache after his fashion, wherein first he exhorted the magistrates to good deserts in regard of the prayse or shame that attends such men for their tyme well or ill imployed; then he remembered manie hir Majesties fauors to the Citie, their greate and beneficiall priviledges, their ornaments and ensignes of autoritie, their choise out of their owne Companies, &c. 'Great, and exceeding great,' said hee, ' is hir Majesties goodnes to this City/ for which he remembred their humble due thankefulnes; next he briefly commended the resigning Sir Jo. Jarrett, saying that his owne performances were speaking witnesses for him, and the succeeding, for the good hope, &c.: and then, showing howe the maior, Mr. Lee, had bin chosen by the free and generall assent of the Citye, he presented him to that honourable Court, praying their accustomable allowaunce.

The Lord Chief Baron Periam comended the Recorders speache, and recommend hir Majesties singular benefits to their thankefull consideracions, admonished that their might be some monethly strict searche be made in the Cytie for idle persons and maisterles men, whereof there were, as he said, at this tyme 30,000 in London; theise ought to be found out and well punished, for they are the very scumme of England, and the sinke of iniquitie, &c." pp. 72-3.